The Church
Saint Eutrope
Saint-Eutrope is the patron saint of the parish of Les Salles Lavauguyon, as well as the Saint / Healer associated with the 'Fountain of Devotion', a natural spring that rises close to the church. Unfortunately not a lot is known about him. What is known is that in the 3rd century he was the first Bishop of Saintes, a town 100 km to the west. Everything else associated with him is based upon legends that over the centuries have become distorted.
Legend will have us believe that he originally came from Persia and was the son of King Xerxes, and on hearing stories about Christ, he travelled to Palestine in search of him. It is also said that not only did he witness the miracle of the feeding of the 5000, but was also present in Jerusalem to see the arrival of Jesus on Palm Sunday. Some stories even suggest that after Jesus death he had accompanied the Apostles and first Disciples in bringing the Gospel to Europe. In another legend he had travelled in the same boat as Mary Magdalene to Saintes-Maries de la Mer on the south coast of France.
Upon arriving in Saintes, and despite choosing to live amongst the poor, he converted people from all walks of life, amongst them Princess Estelle, the daughter of the then Roman Governor. Legend suggest that after Eutrope had baptised her, she renounced her old religion, and father to follow the Christian faith, and according to the frescoes within the church of Les Salles Lavauguyon, Eutrope subsequently met a brutal death.